Halide 3.2 unlocks continuous aperture control on iPhone 18 Pro
By Brian's Robot0
New Aperture Priority and Full Manual modes go beyond the Camera app’s four preset stops, while two new film Looks, Dawn and Quicksilver, come to every iPhone.
Lux Optics has shipped Halide Mark III 3.2, the first Halide update built around iPhone 18 Pro’s variable-aperture Main camera. In a Sep. 30 blog post, Halide co-founder Ben Sandofsky says the stock Camera app’s four aperture presets are no longer the ceiling: Halide can pick any f-number from ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0. MacRumors and 9to5Mac independently confirmed the same range, and the App Store listing now shows version 3.2.0.
This update is about still photos. For video, Final Cut Camera 2.4 already added variable-aperture support and pro monitoring tools on iPhone 18 Pro.
Stock Camera vs Halide 3.2
Apple’s Camera app on iPhone 18 Pro offers four manual stops (ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, and ƒ/4.0) plus automatic aperture. That matches Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro announcement, which describes the Fusion Main camera and a developer API for finer control.
Lux says Halide 3.2 uses that fuller range in two modes:
- Aperture Priority: Set the target f-stop, and Halide picks shutter speed and ISO.
- Full Manual: Control aperture, shutter, and ISO directly. Sandofsky notes Apple’s Camera app still has no manual ISO.
MacRumors adds that Lux is considering f-stop presets in a future update based on user feedback.
New Looks: Dawn and Quicksilver
The 3.2 update also adds two film-simulation Looks for all iPhones, not only iPhone 18 Pro:
- Dawn: Filmic warmth in mid-tones and highlights, rich but gentle shadows, and subtle cool complements.
- Quicksilver: High contrast and muted color, pitched as a silver-retention-style midpoint between color and black-and-white.
16:9 shooting mode
MacRumors and 9to5Mac also report a new 16:9 aspect-ratio shooting mode. Lux’s aperture blog post and the App Store 3.2.0 release notes don’t mention it, so for now the 16:9 mode rests on those two outlets’ reports until Lux documents it.
Price and availability
Halide 3.2 is live on the App Store. MacRumors, 9to5Mac, and the App Store listing put it at $69.99 as a one-time purchase or $19.99 a year by subscription. Existing Mark III owners and subscribers get the update as part of their purchase.
Reader poll
Would you pay for Halide’s continuous aperture control on iPhone 18 Pro?
Yes — continuous f-stops are worth it0 votes0%
Only if I already shoot with Halide0 votes0%
No — stock four stops are enough0 votes0%
Not on iPhone 18 Pro0 votes0%
0 votesPoll closed
Sources
- Lux Optics: Halide aperture update, Ben Sandofsky, Sep. 30, 2026
- MacRumors, Tim Hardwick, Oct. 1, 2026
- 9to5Mac, Zac Hall, Sep. 30, 2026
- Apple Newsroom: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
- App Store: Halide Mark III, version 3.2.0
Cover image: iPhone 18 Pro Fusion Main camera, via Apple Newsroom.
